ORIGINAL: Bob Mitchell
I don't think the people here who take exception to AMA holding up charters for lack of an email address are speaking for themselves. I think what they (and me, for that matter) are saying is that:
1. The reason AMA has singled out the SO for this requirement is for quick notification of safety issue. There is really no other real justification for it being the SO and not just one of the other officers.
2. Holding up a charter will just end up with either a dummy email on the paperwork, or a real email that was set up for someone who doesn't have a PC. That's the work-around that you (I think) and others have suggested.
3. Such a work around pretty much torpedos the reason for the email in the first place. As I've said, it's a good idea, implemented without enough thought.
And I think this has probably become the proverbial dead horse at this point. Don't you?
I think this is a dead horse forum, by design. It's what gets done here.
See, you use the term "holding up charters" as though they're being significantly delayed. I see it differently - - those who were unable to successfully complete their club application have been asked to provide the missing information.
This is a beginning. It's a good effort on the AMA's part to increase the speed of communication while reducing costs. Nothing is perfect, and if the perfect solution is sought there will never be a solution. How individuals choose to behave is up to them. If useful information is sent via email, people will use it. If not, they may not. If a handful of clubs have to take 30 seconds to create addresses for their SOs, it doesn't torpedo the effort - - it just makes it an ineffective initiative
for that handful of clubs. The larger membership is better served by the process. That really shouldn't be difficult to see.
Anyone can nitpick flaws in a program. Around here, that's what many seem to specialize in. It's great, it's very valuable, and we all respect those in our lives that are very, very good at pointing out problems. Of course, we tend to respect those who actually get things done a bit more... but progress can't be slowed because of imperfect processes. This isn't an end-all, be-all of communication and I rather doubt anyone expects it to work that way. What it does do is to begin the process of streamlining communication. There'll be people who drag their feet - - there always are. What's new?